Who Should Write the Next Bond Continuation Novel?

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  • Posts: 9,730
    James Patterson and make it a modern setting
  • edited May 2014 Posts: 7,653
    Risico007 wrote:
    James Patterson and make it a modern setting

    Patterson and his writing factory????

    I will get cross if he gets the gig.
  • Posts: 9,730
    actually as long as it is set now I honestly am not to picky as to who the writer is but like I said over and over Fleming never intended Bond to be a Period piece IFP should honor the mans wishes
  • Posts: 14,800
    How about honouring his literary legacy and leaving it as it is? Do we really need continuators? Glorified fanfic writers I say.
  • Posts: 9,730
    Lud sorry I don't agree I like the games and books as something to bridge between films

    and both seem to be at a stale mate sadly
  • edited May 2014 Posts: 14,800
    You have a right to disagree, it's not my problem. I stick to Fleming. Why write lesser work, why read lesser work? Continuators of course exists for other characters and franchises. They are still camomile. You said to honour the man's wish. Did Ian Fleming ever wished that Bond novels carried on being written after his death?
  • edited May 2014 Posts: 9,730
    Ludovico wrote:
    You have a right to disagree, it's not my problem. I stick to Fleming. Why write lesser work, why read lesser work? Continuators of course exists for other characters and franchises. They are still camomile. You said to honour the man's wish. Did Ian Fleming ever wished that Bond novels carried on being written after his death?


    According to Amis who knew Fleming yes he did actually Amis would only write Colonel Sun with Fleming's blessing though I vaguely recall a Forward by Amis in my copy of Colonel Sun where Amis Visited Fleming in the hospital on numerous occasions and talked about what He was doing with 007 and Fleming would give his input.
  • Posts: 14,800
    That would be one author. And one book.
  • Posts: 802
    SaintMark wrote:
    007InVT wrote:
    @SaintMark - I understand that; was thinking the build up or year before to CR unless you're saying Higson does just that?

    In one of the Young Bonds there was a short chapter with James Bond as a youngish secret agent. It read nicely and I would not have minded Higson doing 007 in the beginning of his carreer. Especially as he got the period feel down very well.

    Absolutely - if we are talking a prequel to CR, Higson is undoubtably the man.
    He has completely proved that he understands the character and has the period feel absolutely right.
    Frankly, after the celebrity trilogy disaster IFP must realise that they are in the last chance saloon. I for one, will not buy another Bond continuation novel unless I trust completely their choice of author.
    The Faukes, Deaver, Boyd debacle has been extremely disappointing and I for one feel completely let down.

  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,728
    I'd say it's time to give Anthony Horowitz a go at a Bond continuation novel.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,728
    Ludovico wrote:
    You have a right to disagree, it's not my problem. I stick to Fleming. Why write lesser work, why read lesser work? Continuators of course exists for other characters and franchises. They are still camomile. You said to honour the man's wish. Did Ian Fleming ever wished that Bond novels carried on being written after his death?

    Well, he did talk about auctioning off the rights to the James Bond character near the end of his life if that counts. So perhaps he had the continuation in mind even then. His brother, Peter Fleming (on the Glidrose Board) was the one who pushed for it certainly.
  • Posts: 14,800
    Maybe he did, but form his writing we could also deduce that he may have been working on ending the series.

    In any case, continuators are rarely a match to the original and are often rather asinine takes on the original. In my experience, only Boileau and Narcejac's Arsène Lupin stories were worthy continuators.
  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    Dragonpol wrote:
    I'd say it's time to give Anthony Horowitz a go at a Bond continuation novel.

    I'm all for this. I hear his Holmes novel was quite good.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,728
    Dragonpol wrote:
    I'd say it's time to give Anthony Horowitz a go at a Bond continuation novel.

    I'm all for this. I hear his Holmes novel was quite good.

    Yes, I saw that recently second hand. I'd forgotten all about the fact that he was already a continuer. I think her could write a very interesting Bond thriller given his background.
  • Posts: 802
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    I'd say it's time to give Anthony Horowitz a go at a Bond continuation novel.

    I'm all for this. I hear his Holmes novel was quite good.

    Yes, I saw that recently second hand. I'd forgotten all about the fact that he was already a continuer. I think her could write a very interesting Bond thriller given his background.

    His Holmes novel was fabulous but for me, after the celebrity trilogy debacle, it has to be a sure fire winner. That means Higson. He's the only one out there that has proved that he can do it.
    Please God, no more risks!
  • Posts: 2,491
    What about Lee Child ? I think he can do a good job.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,728
    dragonsky wrote:
    What about Lee Child ? I think he can do a good job.

    Well yes, again he has proven himself but he may not want the Bond association.
  • Posts: 4,622
    What the heck, just bring back Raymond Benson. He's a legit Bondologist, proven commodity, and he's very much alive and still writing books.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,728
    timmer wrote:
    What the heck, just bring back Raymond Benson. He's a legit Bondologist, proven commodity, and he's very much alive and still writing books.

    I wouldn't say no to his return but I think he has moved on from Bond so I doubt he'd want to write another one.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited July 2014 Posts: 17,728
    This makes very interesting reading regarding Anthony Horowitz:

    http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/jun/26/anthony-horowitz-interview

    "You've tackled Sherlock Holmes with House Of Silk and you yourself have said Alex Rider was inspired by thinking about making a younger James Bond. Are there any other famous fictional characters you'd like to try your hand at writing for?

    Milo, can I honestly suggest you become a journalist (if you aren't one already)? I would love to write a proper James Bond novel for adults! I would have quite liked to have written a Hercule Poirot novel in the style of Agatha Christie. But it's probably time to stick to characters of my own."
  • Posts: 9,730
    Give it to Horowitz can't be worse then Boyd
  • Posts: 4,622
    Dragonpol wrote:
    I wouldn't say no to his return but I think he has moved on from Bond so I doubt he'd want to write another one.
    maybe but I don't believe he ever quit writing Bond. I think the publishers decided to go in a different direction. It seems he was set aside.
    His last Bond book was Man With the Red Tattoo in 2002, and then we got nothing until the first Young Bond from Higson in 2005. Maybe time to bring him back, as the succeeding 3 adult Bond writers, have all been big busts, or so it seems.

  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,728
    timmer wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    I wouldn't say no to his return but I think he has moved on from Bond so I doubt he'd want to write another one.
    maybe but I don't believe he ever quit writing Bond. I think the publishers decided to go in a different direction. It seems he was set aside.
    His last Bond book was Man With the Red Tattoo in 2002, and then we got nothing until the first Young Bond from Higson in 2005. Maybe time to bring him back, as the succeeding 3 adult Bond writers, have all been big busts, or so it seems.

    Well as a Benson fan I'd certainly welcome him back with open arms, but sadly I just can't see it happening now.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited July 2014 Posts: 13,350
    To me, it appears he was the one who decided to leave:

    http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/literature_benson_era_ends.php3
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited July 2014 Posts: 17,728
    Samuel001 wrote:
    To me, it appears he was the one who decided to leave:

    http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/literature_benson_era_ends.php3

    Or at least it was agreed mutually between Glidrose and Benson. I think he was getting tired of the whole Bond thing at that time hence I think he wouldn't come back for another Bond novel. He saw the Bond continuation gig as something of a poisoned chalice, which of course is exactly what it is. No matter what you do you won't ever be able to please everyone. My reading of the situation (and having corresponded with and emailed Mr Benson) is that he'd had enough and anyway Glidrose/IFP wanted to change tack with Young Bond and the 2008 Fleming Centenary celebrations with the small matter of the continuations well forgotten by that stage and Gardner and Benson conveniently swept under the carpet so that they could instead focus all of their attention and creative energies on the creator of James Bond, Ian Fleming himself.

    As I said above I would instead select Anthony Horowitz for the next adult Bond novel and if that was a success, allow him to do a series of Bond continuation novels. And bear in mind he wants the gig, which not everyone does of course due to the small matter of that poisoned chalice thingy I mentioned above.
  • edited July 2014 Posts: 802
    Dragonpol wrote:
    This makes very interesting reading regarding Anthony Horowitz:

    http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/jun/26/anthony-Horowitz-interview

    "You've tackled Sherlock Holmes with House Of Silk and you yourself have said Alex Rider was inspired by thinking about making a younger James Bond. Are there any other famous fictional characters you'd like to try your hand at writing for?

    Milo, can I honestly suggest you become a journalist (if you aren't one already)? I would love to write a proper James Bond novel for adults! I would have quite liked to have written a Hercule Poirot novel in the style of Agatha Christie. But it's probably time to stick to characters of my own."

    This is very interesting. Great to know that Horowitz is up for it. I'm a huge fan of his Holmes book and a lot of the work he's done for TV - particularly Foyle's war and I'm very sure he'd make a good fist of Bond.
    That said,I wouldn't put him ahead of Higson purely because after the celebrity trilogy debacle, many of us are now desperate and Charlie has mastered the character and style. He has also shown that he can deliver the plots and God knows we can't suffer another misfire!
    When I hear people propose the likes of Lee Child or,even worse bringing back Benson, I shudder.
    Let's hope that IFP have sufficient grey cells to reach out to Higson or Horowitz. This in itself isn't sure because on recent form, I remain convinced that they haven't a single board member that understands or gives a damn about Fleming's creation.

  • Posts: 9,730
    My only request Fleming never made it a period peice I would hope any future adult bond novels continue in the tradition.
  • edited July 2014 Posts: 802
    Risico007 wrote:
    My only request Fleming never made it a period piece I would hope any future adult bond novels continue in the tradition.

    Very difficult. IMNSHO (in my not so humble opinion) the literary Bond would loose too much with a modern translation.
    In many regards, fact has overtaken fiction and technology has changed the world of espionage and not for the better. A period setting allows for much more scope and makes the character so much more relevant. 007 was a product of the '50s & '60s and so he should remain.
    Now a prequel set in World War 11, that would rock!
  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    World War Eleven?!
  • Posts: 7,653
    World War Eleven?!

    WWII

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